Thursday, August 23, 2007

First it was Christopher Walken trying to horn in on my act, now I’ve got Paul McCartney doing cooking videos online! It would be very easy to make fun of this mashed potato video Paul made…so I will. As I watched, I started writing down all the mistakes, wrong information, and bad techniques I was witnessing so I could rip him in this post. But, there were just too many, so I stopped, and just enjoyed it for what it was; A shameless plug for his wife’s cookbook. Wow, she should really have reconsidered her marketing strategy. Paul, while one of the most talented musicians ever, should never be allowed in a kitchen again.

So, instead of me recapping all the ridiculous moments, why don’t you just watch and post a comment as to what were your favorite bits. Here are a few moments I really enjoyed to get you started… the oven mitt puppet show, the “organic” salt reference (when did they start using pesticides on salt?), and the seven times he almost slices his fingers off trying to peel and chop that onion. Hey, Jude, get this guy some Band-Aids!

Just in case you actually want to see how to make perfect mashed potatoes, I’ve included my mashed potato video recipe below. Enjoy!

If he isn't a very good cook, then why is he saying that if you watch this video afterward you'll be "highly educated"? what the hell was he doing with the onions, as a matter of fact who the hell puts onions in their potatoes? i mean sure maybe their are a couple of people out there that do. but don't they has the onion up too? and he's using the wrong type of masher! why Paul why??!!!!! -_-;;

What the heck was he doing peeling the potato like he did? It started out twice the size! Why is he getting rid of half of it? Isn't he part of one of those save-the-world-and-all-it's-starving-children groups somewhere? And he's throwing away half his food?

Incidentally, If you like garlic (and I hear they're passing legislation...), then I learned this trick at San Fran's own Stinking Rose : boil/drain/and mash garlic cloves in with the potato. It gives the dish a very even and smooth garlic wallop.

McCartney : Brings to mind all of their greatest

Happiness Is A Warm SpudMashical Mystery TourBack In The R.U.S.S.etAll You Need Is Spudand of course HELP!

I have actually seen a good cooking video from a celebrity. The director of Sin City has a couple of videos that I've watched on youtube. In one he made breakfast burritos, but he made his tortillas himself. It was pretty cool.

Its sad displays of ego-cooking and poor technique and delivery like the Paul McCartney vid that sadly turned me OFF of cooking or even trying new recipies for myself many years ago. I use to love to cook and try things and was pretty good according to folks who survived my recipes--but some of the TV shows were too extreme, condescending and utterly bizarre. They made cooking GOOD food seem so out of reach or not good enough for the rest of us. It became too much about the cook or their poltical/health or "perfection" view, and not about the recipe and technique and the enjoyment of cooking and food that we could do at home.. But then I discovered Chef John on YT about a month ago..and I have re-discovered my love of cooking. Its now worth the time to me when I come home from work to COOK again rather than fast-food take-out things...and I love it and look forward to the funny and interesting vids and hope you will be doing some of my favorite dishes in the future that I could never get "right". The detail you provide--the honesty, enjoyment, fun and care you take conveys--its been wonderful. I have found my joy of cooking again, tried several of your recipes which have worked perfectly and been awesome, and improved some of my cooking 'flaws' and mistakes I always had but did not know why... My Le Cruesete pan is been ordered! I thank you for giving me some joy again..and a donation is on its way to maintain your site.

Aside from the cutting of the onion, which was a recipe for a serious injury this video wasn't all that bad. It reminds me of the way lots of regular non-culinary folk here in Australia make mashed spuds. Paul also has a great personality or charasima which comes across well in the video. Seems like a very decent chap.

didn't feel like a shameless plug as much as he was making a recipe from his dead wife's cook book. Other celebs are doing cooking blogs why not have some fun. That's what cooking is about to begin with. In true paul fashion, being goofy and keeping his feet on the ground seems like an ok idea. Mistakes or not at least he knows he cant cook. thats the thing to appreciate about this video. I know it made me smile to watch him try.

Give him a break! He seems like a fun, down-to-earth guy. So he's not a 'chef' (lah-dee-da)....he's accomplished a fair amount in his life, no??? Lighten up - cooking should be a joy, not a pretentious critique of people's performances. Sheesh...

Mr. McCarthey seems keenly and humorously aware that he isn't chef material, or even a very accomplished home cook. He never tried to use any "chefey" terms to impress, and treated the whole thing as just a bit of fun.Most of you, on the other hand, treated him as if he had been just the opposite, and after watching Chef John on youtube so many times, I would think that you, especially, would be able to appreciate a little silliness in the kitchen.Shame on you all for taking him and yourselves so seriously!! GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!! He, along with 3 other guys you may have heard of, made musical history for a decade and a generation. Surely that earns him the right to be a bit silly about cooking!!

Paul + Cooking = cringe worthy! Poor lost little man....great music though. John + Cooking = Foodgasm! I could watch you mash spuds all day long...very entertaining, and I'm not even in the nose-bleed seats!<3 Thank you, Chef John